Noy praises retired Coast Guard commandant

MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino yesterday praised retired Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) commandant Vice Admiral Edmund Tan who, despite being suspended, still deserved recognition and gratitude for the services he rendered to the country.

In his 11-minute speech during turnover ceremonies at the PCG headquarters at 11 a.m. yesterday, Aquino said that it was a pity that Tan was unable to complete his one-year stint as PCG commandant.

Sandiganbayan issued last Oct. 8 a 90-day preventive suspension order against Tan for a 2009 graft case filed against him.

Tan will reach the mandatory retirement age of 56 on Sunday. The suspension order remained in effect until he formally bows out of the PCG yesterday.

Since his suspension, PCG vice commandant for operations Rear Admiral Luis Tuason has served as officer-in-charge.

Tuason turned over yesterday the PCG leadership to Rear Admiral Rodolfo Isorena, who was recognized as the agency’s 25th commandant.

Prior to his appointment, Isorena was the PCG fleet commander.

The graft case stemmed from the charges filed by businessman Reynaldo Chua Jr. who claimed that Tan, who was then chief of the PCG Visayas command, caused him undue injury when he detained his shipment of iron ore that resulted in docking penalties of P500,000.

Tan detained the ship LCT Kapitan that was transporting Chua’s iron ore cargo on the basis of an injunction order supposedly issued by a court in Iligan City due to a dispute over ownership of the cargo.

Tan said there was basis for the PCG to hold the ship.

President Aquino defended Tan during the PCG turnover ceremonies and said, “The length of time that a public servant spends in a position was never a way to measure his capability. You would be weighed based on the reforms and initiatives that you have put up in the organization that you lead as well as the number of your positive contributions to your fellowmen.”

Tan was appointed PCG commandant only last Jan. 24.

Aquino described Tan as “an example of having a short but meaningful leadership. You served for several months. It did not reach a year Edmund, a pity.”

He said that during Tan’s short term as PCG commandant, he bore the weight of his personal challenges on his shoulders yet he managed to lead the PCG. “I am extremely thankful to Vice Admiral Tan. The sun may be at its peak or there is bad weather... but he did not lose focus on his mandate to ensure the safety of our shores, secured our properties and protected our marine resources.”

Tan, who was present in yesterday’s ceremony, said that he was happy and grateful to the President because “he recognized my achievements despite the shortened period of my being commandant. I thank him for the trust that he has given me. I really appreciate the gesture of the President and I think I did my job in the right and proper way.”

One of the highlights of Tan’s term was deploying ships to the disputed Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal that maintained the country’s presence in the area.

Aquino reminded new PCG commandant Isorena to be faithful to the institution and the country.

“Always remember that your appointment is not a privilege, but it is a position with responsibility.”

Isorena, 53, will serve as commandant until Oct. 26, 2015.